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University of the Arts London

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2017)

Research Papers

Pictorial Construction – Pictorial Speech?: Experiential Learning and Co-Design as models for exploring sustainable development issues through Graphic Design principles and techniques

Published 2017-01-26

  • Charlie Abbott

Charlie Abbott
Camberwell College of Arts

Abstract

Issues around sustainable development are characterised by the complexity of interactions between social and ecological systems, a complexity that is underrepresented by diagrammatic representation and only partially comprehended through single disciplines. This paper seeks to address this by exploring how models of Co-Design and Experiential Learning can encourage multi-disciplinary engagement with, and reflection upon, issues around sustainable development. Using the Graphic language of ‘Ideograms’, a 45 minute workshop was developed that encouraged participants to create pictorial representations of issues around sustainability of personal significance. The resulting focus group discussion highlighted the iterative processes key to Co-Design, and its effectiveness in encouraging debate and reflection upon sustainability issues.

Keywords

Experiential Learning, Co-Design, Sustainable Development, Graphic Design

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Author Biography

Charlie Abbott

Charlie Abbott is an Associate Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course at Camberwell College of Arts. He is part of work-form, a graphic design studio based in south London.

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